Political Equinox

We hear everyday about local and state governments struggling to make ends meet. I see lots of positions and services being cut down, while that’s one way to make those cuts these governments should rely on students looking for experience in government to help professional staff complete basic functions. While it’s certainly going to cost those government something to bring in these interns, it will allow some services to stay afloat by allowing staffed personnel to focus on other tasks while delegating some tasks to interns.

There certainly are plenty of students looking for work experience and even an unpaid internship in local or state government would be a bonus.

Think of all the computer knowledge that young students could bring to local governments, the experiences and insights. Certainly, many of them will be available from just May to August, but the invaluable skills the youth bring to the table could enable many local governments to make great advances especially in the area of technology. Youth would be able to assist with not only clerical duties and not just with technological advances, but helping governments develop new programs targeted directly at their age groups.

While it is true that many local and state governemnts are being forced to cut personnel and services, the youth can be a bridge that may enable the government to continued to provide some of the services they were considering cutting.

Of course, there are many opportunities for students to get involved in government; but local and state governemnts must take a more active role to ensure that they are able to continue to provide services to citizens even in these tough economics times. Despite the fact that using these young students may not be the typical path, it is necessary to utilize every possible method before eliminating programs.

Training the next generation

While it is important to continue programs, preparing our next generation of leaders is a necessary part of any industry and government is not exception. Certainly, the Congressional offices understand that giving young students exposure to the interworking of the legislative process is imperative to continuing to generate and interest in politics and in working for campaigns; however, local governments also need to continually develop and educate new applicants in order to ensure their citizens receive the best services possible.

By utilizing young students these local governments can mix together the ingredients of success for these young aspiring leaders and future government officals to become sucessful components of our governing system. And they’ll save money and increase their ability to provide essential services to the community at large.